Comparison

F8 Control vs Mellowsound

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

F8 Control

Control your ZOOM F8/F8n/F8n Pro audio recorder wirelessly from your iPhone or iPad. Adjust recording, playback, levels, and metadata remotely. Monitor input levels, timecode, and battery status.

Highlights
  • Wireless remote control
  • Start/stop recording and playback
  • Adjust trim levels and pan/fader settings
  • Monitor input levels and timecode
  • Edit file names and add metadata
  • Set date and time
  • Create monitor mixes
Features
Read full description

F8 Control is an app that enables remote control of the ZOOM F8/F8n/F8n Pro. With it, you can use an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch (5th generation and later) as a wireless remote controller for an F8/F8n/F8n Pro. In addition to the fundamental operations of starting/stopping recording/playback and searching forward/backward, this app allows the adjustment of trim levels and mixer pan and fader settings. You can also use it to monitor input levels, timecode information and remaining battery charge. Moreover, using this app, you can input characters from the iOS device to edit file names and add metadata as well as transfer date and time information for use when recording. Features ■ Create monitor mixes easily -Using the mixer screen that supports multi-touch, you can easily create monitor mixes as though using a traditional mixer. ■ Control an F8/F8n/F8n Pro that is inside a protective case -During field recording, you can check and control levels using the device in your hand without needing to look into the protective case on the F8/F8n/F8n Pro. ■ Input metadata -Using the iOS device keyboard, you can input all types of metadata. You can even type long entries without hassle. ■Set the date and time -The F8/F8n/F8n Pro date and time can be adjusted to match that of the iOS device. This allows you to set the time accurately with ease.

About

Mellowsound

Experience the iconic sounds of a 1960s keyboard sampler with this app. It offers professional audio quality, allowing you to play vintage orchestra sounds on your device. Customize your sound with various effects and recording options.

Highlights
  • Authentic Mellotron emulation
  • Professional 16-bit/44.1Khz audio
  • Photo-realistic user interface
  • Blend mode for two instruments
  • MIDI and Audio Unit support
  • In-app purchases for more instruments and FX
Features
Read full description

Play the iconic Mellotron keyboard sampler heard on The Beatles, Radiohead and King Crimson records — now on your iPhone, iPad & Mac. Mellowsound is built from real recordings of our own Mellotron M400, sampled note by note across all instrument tapes. Every sound is authentic, every detail is preserved. Professional audio quality — 16bit / 44.1kHz Photo-realistic vintage interface AUv3 Audio Unit — plug into any DAW or AUM FREE VERSION includes: • 3 instruments: Flute, Clarinet & Sax • Blend mode: play two instruments simultaneously • Full Mixer, Metronome • MIDI & MIDI Mapping • AudioBus & Inter-App Audio (iOS) FULL VERSION (IAP) includes: • 18 Mellotron instruments: Strings, Piano, Flute, Guitar, Vibraphone and more • User Presets • ADSR Envelope • 6 FX: Tube Amp, Tremolo, Chorus, Pitch-shifter, Delay & Reverb • Live Recording CHAMBERLIN PACK (IAP) includes: • 18 additional instruments: Brass, Pizzicato Violins, Cello, Harpsichord and more Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: contact@fingerlab.net Stay tuned! The Fingerlab Team

Screenshots

F8 Control3 screens
Mellowsound4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Mellowsound at 4.3 against F8 Control's 2.9. Mellowsound also leads on review sentiment (60% vs 28%) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 21 months). F8 Control's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mellowsound sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. F8 Control asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mellowsound holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mellowsound has 237 ratings behind it against 39, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of F8 Control's written reviews are positive against 60% of Mellowsound's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

F8 Control ships an update every 21 months, Mellowsound every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
F8 Control versus Mellowsound: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterF8 ControlMellowsound
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.9 (39 ratings)4.3 (237 ratings) — better
Positive reviews27.8% of reviews60.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings39237 — better
Update frequencyEvery 21 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB899 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZOOM CORPORATIONFingerlab

Customer experience

F8 Control

All ratings39 ratings
Positive46.2%
Neutral5.1%
Negative48.7%
Written reviews97 reviews
Positive27.8%
Neutral14.4%
Negative57.7%

Mellowsound

All ratings237 ratings
Positive83.5%
Neutral3.0%
Negative13.5%
Written reviews177 reviews
Positive60.5%
Neutral11.9%
Negative27.7%

Bugs and requests

F8 Control

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Mellowsound

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incompatibility with some iOS versions and devices
  • Issues with Inter-App Audio and AUv3 functionality
  • Keyboard not responsive or disappearing

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to blend/layer multiple instruments
  • Expanded sound library with more Mellotron presets
  • Sustain pedal support
  • MIDI channel selection
  • Improved performance in DAWs

In-app purchases

None

F8 Control

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Mellowsound

One-time2
  • Chamberlin Instruments Pack$8.99
  • Full Version$9.99

Questions

Is F8 Control free?
F8 Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mellowsound free?
Mellowsound is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, F8 Control or Mellowsound?
Mellowsound is rated higher. F8 Control averages 2.9 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Mellowsound averages 4.3 from 237 ratings.
Do F8 Control or Mellowsound have ads?
Neither F8 Control nor Mellowsound shows ads.
Which is updated more often, F8 Control or Mellowsound?
F8 Control ships an update every 21 months, and Mellowsound every 4 weeks. Most recently, F8 Control was updated on October 29, 2026 and Mellowsound on October 23, 2026.

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